Dad, 28, died trying to save his brother from burning home after e-bike battery caught fire

The Irish Sun

5 days ago

The e-bike burst into flames after its battery 'catastrophically failed' while charging overnight
FATAL INFERNO Dad, 28, died trying to save his brother from burning home after e-bike battery caught fire
A MAN died while trying to save his brother from his burning home after an e-bike fire set the property ablaze.
Dad Mohsin Janjua, 28, died after a lithium-ion battery - placed into a pedal bike to convert it into an e-bike - caught fire at his home in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
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Mohsin Janjua, 28, died after trying to save his brother from the house fire
Credit: Facebook
The 28-year-old's bike - which he himself had converted - burst into flames after being plugged into the mains in the living room while he was sleeping on the sofa in the early hours of December 2, 2023.
An inquest into his death heard how he rushed to alert his mum and son in the upstairs bedroom as soon as he spotted the fire.
Despite all three leaving the home through the front door, they believed Mohsin's brother was still trapped inside.
Bravely, Mohsin rushed inside to try and save him - not realising his brother had managed to escape by jumping from the upstairs bedroom window.
When Mohsin's brother then tried to turn around to rescue Mohsin, he was forced back by toxic smoke and intense flames.
The 28-year-old was then found by the fire service in the rear upstairs bedroom.
After initially thinking he was just unresponsive, fire crews later discovered he had already died by the time they arrived.
Senior Coroner Martin Fleming concluded Mohsin died from the effects of fire - saying it had most likely been started by the "catastrophic failure" of the e-bike battery.
In a Prevention of Future Deaths report, he said: "On December 2, 2023, Mohsin Janjua died from the inhalation of products of combustion in a house fire at his home address [in] Bradford.
"Unknown to him, he had previously purchased an unsafe lithium battery on the internet in order to convert his bicycle with other modifiable parts to an E-bike, which he left on charge overnight in his living room.
"It is found more likely than not that the fire was caused by a catastrophic failure of the ion lithium battery."
He also warned that unregulated lithium battery sales pose a "significant and growing risk to public safety".
Future deaths could occur unless action is taken
Senior Coroner Martin Fleming
Mohsin had purchased the battery on eBay, and tests from a battery from the same store showed it did not comply with UK safety standards.
The dad had replaced the previous electric motor on his bike with the lithium-ion battery just one week before the blaze.
Mr Fleming issued a warning to the Office for Product Safety and Standards, advising it to pursue great regulation of online marketplaces or further deaths may occur.
He said: "In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.
"To review and reconsider the adequacy of the of the current unregulated sale of lithium-ion batteries, especially those intended for e-bike conversions through online market places, since they pose a significant and growing risk to public safety.
"Fires caused by substandard or non-compliant batteries have increased and many originate from online marketplaces.
"At the moment it is my understanding that online market places disclaim responsibility for the safety of 3rd party goods, so I ask that you give consideration to the appropriateness of regulations to make online marketplaces jointly responsible for ensuring the safety and legal compliances of products sold on their sites.
"Consider further steps to increase the general public's awareness with regard to the life threatening risks involved with lithium ion batteries from e-bikes in this case stored in domestic properties."